The missing piece of me
by Kaala.Nguyen
Summary: This fanfic is devoted to my favourite couple: Ren and Jeanne. Their story began in Rouen city of France, 2004. They happened to meet each other again in the quest of finding a legendary spirit Jeanne d'Arc (she is a real Saint and Rouen is a real city, too :D). From then on, their journey together started.
1. The missing piece of me

_Guizhou, June 2004_

"Master Ren, the carriage is ready."

Ren put his passport in a pocket and stood up. Until now, he still found traveling with horse carriage the most comfortable way, regardless of weird look from other people.

"Come back soon, Ren." his father's voice echoed from behind a curtain. Even though their relationship had been improved since Ren came back from the Shaman Fight, Tao Yuan still rarely showed himself to his family.

The horses bolted out of Tao's mansion. This was the first trip far away from home for Ren after the Shaman Fight. He had been surrounded by family's business all the time. This trip was for the sake of the family after all. Yuan surely disapproved Ren to associate too much with the "underling" world.

"I will certainly get it. I will become stronger." Ren recalled the day at the Shaman Fight, what Yoh told him after his battle with Nichrom.

"The last piece for my power?" He opened a wooden box prepared for him, took out a ticket to France, and put it in his chest pocket. The Tao's mansion had already been out of sight.

 _Rouen, June 2004_

It was a nice summer day in France when Ren got out of the airport. The scenery was nowhere close to what he had experienced in China, Japan, or even the America. People were strolling by Seine River, or having a chat in some fancy-looking coffee shops. Many old architecture masterpieces were well preserved, leaving the city a feeling of ancient time. Bason examine a bronze statue of a skinny man in tux, only to find out later it was actually a person. Much to Ren satisfaction, horse carriages were available for tourists. Big and nice ones! He quickly ordered one to take him to Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen.

"Don't get caught up by the weird surrounding, Bason." Ren signed as his guardian ghost continuously shuffled from left to right door.

"You should enjoy yourself a bit, young master." said Bason, "There has been no mission that you couldn't complete with a single blow lately."

"It's not that I'm worried, Bason. But you should not let your guard down either. It took us three years to obtain and decode the ancient map to this forgotten power. If the legend is true, then we will have to encounter a majestic spirit."

"A spirit will add up enough furyoku to unseal the Tao's great weapon. You have worked really hard for the last four years, young master. You are most certainly the one that would open the Tao's ancient treasure."

Ren thought to himself, yes, he should be the one. He should be able to get much stronger. But something had bothered him since the end of the Shaman Fight. He still felt some sort of limitation that he couldn't unlock. Somewhere in his heart, there was a piece missing. Memory about Yoh came back to him again. Maybe by recovering his family's sealed weapon, he could finally be at ease, Ren thought. He was so close to it, just another battle away.

Meanwhile, a coachman assumed he got a mad man as a passenger, who was talking to himself at the back of a carriage.

 _Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, June 2004_

Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen was a massive Roman Catholic cathedral in Gothic style. With three towers, one reached 151 meters in height; it used to be the tallest building in the world from 1876 to 1880. The cathedral resided by the Seine River, peacefully hosted thousands of visitors per year. Ren joined one tourist group that was too busy to take photo they didn't even pay attention to his spiky tongari. That was good for his plan because, as soon as they got in the central spire, Ren quickly sneaked to a smaller corridor and took a stairs down to a basement. With the map imprinted in his mind, Ren found a secret door hidden behind a statue, then followed it to further down. No more light was able to reach the place, so Bacon turned himself into some sort of torch. It was cold and damp. Ren wished he had brought non-slip shoes instead of his current expensive ones. The stairs finally ended and they reached a tiny corridor. Only darkness was in front. Ren took out his Bao-Lei sword, ready to fight. However, the corridor seemed to be unguarded. It was just long, damp and sad. After eternity of running, as soon as Ren started to doubt if he had remembered the map correctly, an old wooden door appeared, signaling the end of the corridor. The door was not even locked.

"This would be easy." Ren thought. "The legend had been lost ages ago. No one knows about this place. All I have to do behind this door is to capture the spirit." He created an over soul, and kicked the door.

Ren entered a massive room which, much to his surprised, was lightened by candles. There was a tall altar with two levels. One enormous Bible was left open on top, and a shiny golden box lay beneath it. The candles filled the room with sweet scent. For some reason, Ren felt like he had known this scent before.

"The spirit must be resting here. But the room like this shows that someone is guarding it." Ren stayed alerted as he moved closer to the altar. Half way through the room, a sudden wave of wind pushed him backward. All the candles extinguished. Ren felt sharp objects fly toward him. He quickly cut them off with his sword. He had trained hard in the Tao's dungeon with plenty of deadly trap to improve his ability to sense opponents in the dark. The training was not wasted. He started to identify a source of Furyoku. He called upon Super Bushin and struck directly toward that direction. His attack was stopped in the middle of the air and Ren noticed his arms and legs were trapped, too.

The candles suddenly lit up again. Ren found himself tied to a giant wheel with spikes all over it. It must be the wheel of torture used in the Middle Ages. At the same time, he could figure out his opponent. A beautiful girl with silver hair and blood red eyes appeared between him and the altar.

"This place is holy. Thou shall not intrude." said the lady. She was bleeding all over her body. The moment Ren heard she speak, he had no doubt who she was.

"Jeanne, it has been a while." Ren said with a smirk.

The wheel faded as Jeanne recalled her spell. She had grown to be even more Goddess-like than before. However, she had added a gentle smile on her face, which would be the main reason for her looking stunning. However, it should not be something Ren was concerning about.

"Why are you here?" they spoke at the same time. A few seconds of awkward silence passed. Ren decided to talk first.

"I am after a legendary spirit residing underneath the Cathedral of Rouen. I apologize if I have intruded your place by any chance, but don't become my obstacle because I do not wish to fight you."

"Years have passed but nothing seems to have changed about you." Jeanne giggled. "That was not a nice way to greet an old friend."

"Maybe we can talk a bit later. Now I have some business to do, so please stay out of my way." Ren stepped forward. He hesitated though, as he also realized that he may have been impolite.

"You must be looking for the spirit of La Pucelle d'Orleans, the Maid of Orleans." Jeanne's expression remained unchanged. "You may have found a lost scripture that was written about her. But do you know the name the public have known of her?"

Ren paused. As he expected, Jeanne knew about the spirit he was after. Worse, she could be one of _them_ , the people mentioned in the scripture.

"You are one of the Knights Templars that have protected the secret."

"It is true. And if you had investigated further about the Maid of Orleans, you would have known that already." Jeanne smiled. "She lived in 14th century, known with the name Jeanne d'Arc."

A wave of shock hit Ren in a second. Life was a joker. He could never imagine the spirit he was longing to tame was Jeanne's ancestor; that Jeanne who revived him twice at the Shaman fight!

"What a trick of fate. I can't imagine the spirit I need in order to unseal my family's true power belongs to your family. I guess I would have no choice but to surpass you here?"

"You always have choices, Ren. There will be a way for everything. However, right here, right now, I shall not let you reach the altar." Shamash appeared next to Jeanne in ready-to-fight mode.

"I have no choice." Ren bit his lips. "I will make up for you later, but I won't back up now. Bushin Fish Fin!"

The candles extinguished again, but the room was full of light from Ren's attack. A big battle broke out in the underground of Rouen city.

Ren woke up to see a Victorian-style chandelier hang on the ceiling. He found himself on a king-size bed with white and gold linens and curtains. Everything looked old-fashion, just like he was brought back a few centuries ago. Ren jumped up to find his Bao-Lei sword on a nightstand next to the bed. Bason was floating above a dressing table, looking worried. As soon as Bason notice his master's movement, he flew toward Ren with excitement.

"Master, you're awake." Bason said happily.

"What happened? Why do you look so worried?" Ren asked. He felt headache, but he shook it off.

"You have been unconscious for three days after the fight with Lady Maiden." Bason replied. Ren started to remember. The altar, the spirit, Jeanne d'Arc…

"I lost, didn't I?" Ren asked bitterly. "After all those years of training, I still could not be able to surpass her power."

"It took her more than an hour to defeat you. She has a God-class guardian ghost, too. It was something." Bason tried to calm Ren down. "And I reckon that you didn't really want to fight her. That's why you couldn't perform your attack properly."

"My heart still has doubt." Ren admitted. "But what the hell am I missing? I always feel like I need an extra piece. I just don't know what that piece is."

"Ren, have you awaken?" a voice echoed from outside. "May I come in?"

"It's Jeanne." Bason said.

"I know."

Jeanne stepped into the room. She was wearing pretty normal clothes: a long white dress that covered to her ankles, with a ribbon at her chest. The dress showed her curves perfectly.

"I'm glad you are awake." Jeanne said with a smile.

"Are you here to make fun of me, a sore loser under your hands?" Ren said looking away from Jeanne. "I hope you didn't lose your precious furyoku to revive me again."

"No, I didn't. You lost consciousness, but you were alive."

"Is this your house?"

"You can say so. This is Marco's house. It is also headquarter of the X charity that he and I established. He was kind enough to renovate the house to the style I liked." Jeanne smiled.

"Didn't he get mad because I'm here?"

"He is currently in India running a project of the X charity. The world is suffering like never before, so we have to work really hard."

"I see. Guess I should not bother you anymore. Even though we have worked together before in the Shaman Fight, and I'm truly grateful for what you have done to me, but now that you are protecting something I want, I should go." Ren got out of bed and put on his shirt and jacket, which were magically ironed and folded. He also found his tie on the table.

"I hope I got the right size of clothes for you." Jeanne said. "I took it as my responsibility for having destroyed your suit the other day."

Ren felt his face burning. It was annoying that someone was doing a lot for him. He wasn't used to that. Furthermore, it made the situation even harder. He was supposed to take something from her, but he couldn't fight her at all to get it.

"They fit you nicely." Jeanne smiled, noticing Ren's awkwardness. "Would you mind joining me for breakfast? I have a few things to tell you about the spirit you are after. After that, you may choose to leave if you want."

Ren nodded, reluctantly. He didn't want to receive another act of kindness from Jeanne, but it would rather rude to deny her invitation. He realized he had never done anything for her, or for anyone. That would be the least he could do for someone that revived him from death: accepting her offer.

They took the maple stairs down to a wide lobby, then straight to the back door. Jeanne led Ren to a garden, in the middle of which stood a table. Freshly baked croissants, homemade jam and butter were served with coffee. Ren had his coffee black, while Jeanne preferred her latte with vanilla shot.

"I reckon your power has grown, Ren." Jeanne said while putting some jam on her croissant. "You truly are one of the five famous warriors."

"Stop embarrass me." Ren cut his croissant a bit too hard it broke into halves. "Praise from a divine-level shaman like you is absurd."

"I'm just telling the truth." Jeanne smiled. "However, you are not ready to face Jeanne d'Arc's spirit. This thing you should know, Ren. I am not a Knight Templar. I fought you that day because you would have died otherwise."

"What do you mean?" Jeanne's words caught Ren's attention. "You seem to know a lot about her spirit."

"I am an orphan. I don't know anything until Marco found me. His ancestors were the real Knight Templars. The scripture about Jeanne d'Arc was missing long time ago, thus her legend was only a tale passed from father to son in Marco's family. After the Shaman Fight, he took me to his house and treated me as his daughter. One day, when I was at The Place du Vieux-Marche, the historical place where Jeanne d'Arc was executed, I saw a vision that led me to her chamber."

"She called for you, why?" Ren exclaimed with disbelief.

"I am not so sure either, but she didn't seem like hurting me. I visited her occasionally since then. It was a coincident that we met that day." Jeanne sipped her coffee.

"We have a lot in common, I think. Jeanne d'Arc died with a wish that human kind will have peace. It has been my dream, too. She inspired me to establish the X charity to fulfill our dream."

"You said I would have died if I had fought her. Is she really that strong?" Ren asked even though he knew the answer.

"Yes, she is a very powerful spirit. She was burned alive three times until all of her remaining turned into ash. Thus, her spirit has a distinguish power to make her opponent experience the fire of Hell. It is not physical pain but mental pain. The more troubled you are at heart, the stronger the fire she can create. That's why you were not ready to fight her. If you haven't got peace in heart, then you would not able to defeat her."

"Have you seen her attack someone?" Ren asked. He saw a glimpse of sadness in Jeanne's eyes.

"I asked her to perform her power on me." Jeanne smiled. "I'm used to be tortured. It's part of my training. Fire of Hell is the ultimate training of them all."

Ren looked at the fragile, slender girl sitting in front of him, unsure if he should be amazed or pity her. This fourteen-year-old Jeanne had been through much more than anyone had at her age. Somehow it annoyed Ren the way she tortured herself, but he knew he had no right to criticize her here.

"No wonder your power has grown tremendously." Ren said. His coffee tasted quite more bitter than usual.

"It's not the main reason actually." A flash of smile appeared on Jeanne's face again. "I have learned something even more important for myself."

Ren was waiting for Jeanne to continue, but they ended up falling into silence. When breakfast was finished, Jeanne started again.

"If you wish to encounter the spirit of Jeanne d'Arc, please be my guest. I will not stop you again, but I do hope you think carefully before you act. Should you need any help, you are always welcome." Jeanne said with a bigger smile. Her blood red eyes now filled with genuine kindness even Ren had to admit. So annoying! He seriously disliked owing someone.

"I'm not comfortable getting so much help that I can't repay. Since the Shaman Fight, you have always helped me, such a pathetic man." Ren signed. "How about today we do thing differently? Is there anything I can do for you? If I don't get this burden off my chest, then no way I can face Jeanne d'Arc, right?"

"I'm delighted to accept your offer. Thank you, Ren." Jeanne tilted her head. Her hair fell on her shoulder like a silver river. She did look pretty, but Ren denied thinking about that.

Jeanne sure was busy with her charity work. She took Ren to different parts of the city. She taught kids from orphanage to read and write. Ren was incompetent to deal with kids, but he managed to make them laughed with his extendable tongari. At the end of the class, Jeanne complemented him for being good with kids, which made him really embarrassed. They then went to a meeting with some organizations. Jeanne presented the X charity's plan and called for sponsorship. Ren, a smart man as he was, assisted her in several challenging questions. They did land a contract at the end of the day. Jeanne sure looked happy with the result. They spent the afternoon in a church's kitchen, helping nuns to prepare food. Everyday Jeanne made dinner for homeless people on the streets of Rouen. That would be the reason why her cooking skill was spot on. When they finished work at 9pm, Ren was sipping some leftover soup while Jeanne prayed in the church. Night time in Rouen was cool, but he felt warm inside. Must be because of the soup! Today, Ren had seen a different side of this sophisticated city, met "underling" people his father forbade him to associate with. With his shaman power he could sense their suffering inside, no matter if they appeared to be sad or happy. Humans were always weak and fragile, with so much conflict inside themselves and with others. He was just one of them, perhaps, trying to define himself.

"You work hard today. Would you like a second of soup?" Jeanne's voice cut Ren's flow of thought. He looked up to see her gently smile at him. He returned her with a smile.

"I've got enough, thanks." Ren stood up and walked toward Jeanne. "In fact, I haven't done anything much today. You have been doing everything."

"Now you know a typical day of me." Jeanne giggled. "Somehow, it feels better with company."

"Is this all you want me to do for you? All we have done today is for other people. At this rate I can't repay you."

"You have done a lot." Jeanne said, as they started to stroll along the Seine River. "I can feel how much effort you needed to get out of your world, and to do something different."

"Until the Shaman Fight, I lived isolated with the outside world. All the people I knew were the X-laws. My job was to judge everyone else. I have committed great sins during that time." Jeanne talked with her eyes closed. Her voice sounded remote and painful.

"After that day, I had to find peace for myself first, before I can bring peace to the world. I realize that if death has to be repaid by death, the vicious cycle of hatred continues forever. So I choose to make other people's happiness mine. When I help them, I also help myself." Jeanne spoke softly, but Ren could hear her clearly. He found out they had a lot in common. Her struggle was also his. Two people isolated from everyone else, lived by their own beliefs. Maybe the answer for his life-long question can be found here, a faraway city of Rouen. The moon was round and shiny, its light poured down the Seine River like a golden path to heaven.

"Even if you talked like a saint, it is not harmful to do something for yourself sometimes." Ren cut the awkward silence. "I still want to do something for you and you alone. Let's skip work tomorrow and go have fun, can we?"

"I'm glad that you asked, but I can't…" Jeanne puzzled with Ren's offer.

"Well, so I change my words. I need a tour guide to get around this alien city, can you please _help_ me?" Ren grinned. Jeanne smiled as she knew she was trapped. Deep inside, she felt half anxious, half excited. She was familiar with places in Rouen, and even around Europe, but to be honest, she wasn't sure where to "have fun". She told him exactly that. Ren asked her to not be worried. Somehow, she felt assured with his words. After four years, he had grown to be more composed and elegant. He still closed his heart, but Jeanne could see that Ren did care about his surroundings. They kept walking along the Seine River. At some point, Ren put his jacket on Jeanne's shoulders, but they remained quiet until they reached home.

They parted at the stairs to Ren's guest room. Jeanne's room was to the opposite side of the house. No doubt Marco tried his best to separate Jeanne from any "potential harm", even though she was more than capable to eliminate any of the harm herself. They exchanged "thanks" and "good night". Ren went to bed feeling calm and peaceful. He blushed as Bason's voice echoed above his bed.

"You look a bit different today, Master."

"What? There's nothing. And I told you not to follow me." Ren felt his ears hot.

"I didn't, Master. What I meant was you look happy." Bason said. "And I'm genuinely glad to see you like this."

Ren paused at Bason's words. He? Happy? That was something he hadn't heard for a while.

"Tomorrow we will go on a tour around this city, consider it a day off, Bason. Get a good sleep." Ren said as he pulled the blanket to cover his neck. Tomorrow would turn out to be silly, but he couldn't back off anymore.

Ren woke up early the next day, and was waiting for Jeanne at the lobby when she appeared. She wore a red Victorian style short dress, with long white sleeves, and a ribbon on her collar. It somewhat resembled her favourite dress back in the Shaman Fight. The style definitely suited her, just like it was designed for her itself. Jeanne asked whether Ren had a good sleep, then he suggested they went out for breakfast. They chose a café by Seine River for a view. Ren was not familiar with French toast or crepe, but they passed acceptable standard for him. After that, Jeanne took him around Rouen, to the Cathedral, the Gros Horloge, the Place du Vieux Marche where Jeanne d'Arc was executed, and the modern church of her. They had a picnic lunch at the Botanical garden. Jeanne sure was well-prepared for the day. In the afternoon, they took a boat ride on Seine River. Much to Jeanne's surprise, Ren was very good at rowing. They had some taste of champagne, but Jeanne politely declined a second glass. Summer day in France was long, so the sun was still out when they reached the night market. The city could get livelier than Ren expected. Kids ran around getting ice cream and cotton candy. It took him awhile to get some ice cream for Jeanne. However, she seemed comfortable with kids screaming and laughing around. The way she looked at them made him less dislike them a bit. Later on, in the middle of the carnival, Jeanne found a carousel. Her eyes flashed with excitement for just a second, but it didn't get passed Ren.

"Want to go for a ride?" Ren asked. Jeanne blushed and shook her head, saying her dress was not suitable for riding carousel. All of a sudden, Ren lifted her up to the back of a white winged-horse. Jeanne's face turn red, but she didn't resist. The ride started, and the longer into it, the more relaxed she seemed. She managed to giggled and waved at Ren when she passed. Her silver hair was like moonlight falling on her slim shoulders. Ren noticed some guys stopped to look at Jeanne with amazement. It hit him like a thunderstruck: she was so pretty, might be prettier than every girl he had ever met. The ride finally ended, Ren reached out his hands to help Jeanne down. She whispered a word of thanks, and then suggested they should go home before it got dark, even though it was not even 9pm. This time, they took a carriage. Ren told Jeanne how he liked horses, and she mentioned they could try horse riding at a town near by someday.

Ren went to bed but could not sleep. The day didn't totally suck as he expected. However, his emotion stirred greatly. Anxious, worried, afraid, but also excited, delighted, and peaceful. He couldn't understand; it was completely different experience. Ren was too deep into thinking he didn't notice Bason floating through the window.

"Master, did you hear something from Lady Maiden's room?"

"Was there any? I didn't pay attention." Ren tried to keep his voice calm as usual.

"I wasn't sure myself, but it was like the sound of metal clashed."

"Nothing wrong could happen to her, Bason. She is a strong shaman."

Ren turned himself away from the window, but he felt worried. It bothered him so much he finally decided to check out on Jeanne. When Ren and Bason reached her room, everything was quiet.

"Excuse me, Jeanne. It's Ren." He knocked. "Have you slept already?"

No answer. It was too silent it became strange. Ren turned the knob. The door opened easily. The room was lit only by a candle that created sweet scent just like Jeanne's. However, Jeanne was not there. Ren noticed a giant bookshelf at the end of the room. The books seemed disordered. Some felt on the ground. It was not hard for him to find the hidden path under the bookshelf, covered by a carpet. He followed a small corridor, thinking whether it was rude of him to discover Jeanne's secret path. Then he started to hear some voice, someone was moaning, or screaming. He ran faster with Bason already in fight mode oversoul. The closer to the end of the path, the clearer the sound. Ren broke through a wooden door to find the exact same room he broke into a few days ago. The candles were lit up, and above the altar, he saw a spirit with curly brown hair. She looked beautiful and young, but full of sorrow. It was Jeanne d'Arc. The whole floor underneath her was burning, and Jeanne was in the middle, crying in pain. Without thinking, Ren struck the Bao-Lei sword to purify fire made by Jeanne d'Arc. He quickly reached the centre and grabbed Jeanne. She was in bad state, but she recognized him.

"Don't fight her, Ren. I'll be alright. It's just… a training." She whispered. Ren lost his cool and shouted at her.

"Why do you have to do this? You always push yourself too hard. Idiot!"

He held her tight and reversed back to the entrance. He knew he wasn't ready to go up against Jeanne d'Arc. She wasn't even attacking him, but he already felt his furyoku burnt out. Ren wasn't told about this ability. Different from the Spirit of Fire Hao used to use, Jeanne d'Arc could prevent anyone from approaching her. A deadly defensive spirit indeed. As soon as they passed the door, the burning fire faded. Ren wasn't sure if the spirit's power can only reach that far, or she didn't intend to chase them. He looked at Jeanne. She already lost consciousness but tears didn't stop flowing from her eyes. After managed to get her to bed, he dropped to the floor feeling exhausted.

Ren was half asleep when a giant sword pierced through the window directly toward him. He swiftly moved away from the threat and recognized Archangel Michael. Marco walked into the room via the broken window, his gun pointing right at Ren.

"To intrude this room when the Holy Maiden is sleeping is an unforgivable sin. Even though you are one of the legendary warriors of the Shaman Fight, you still deserve to die 100, no, 1000 times." Marco voice sounded dead serious.

"I can kick your ass right here, but now is not a time to fight." Ren responded. "Firstly, Jeanne gave me permission to stay. Secondly, she is in critical condition and it wasn't my fault. If you really care about her, you should check on her first rather than breaking her room down."

Marco adjusted his glasses while considering what to do. Then he recalled Michael back to his true form. The 92 red Ferrari Testarossa stood quietly at the drive way. Marco locked his car and moved toward Jeanne. According to his expression, he wasn't surprised with Jeanne's condition.

"She needs some rest, but she will be alright. Though I have to admit she has overdone it a bit this time."

"What do you mean by this time? Don't tell me you know what she has been doing but did nothing to stop her." Ren exclaimed with disbelief. Marco signaled Ren to follow him downstairs.

"You have no right to interfere, Ren." Marco said. "When Luchrist and I first found Maiden Jeanne, the spirit of Jeanne d'Arc was a perfect fit for her. However, no matter how we tried, we couldn't locate the spirit. It was fate that brought Maiden Jeanne to that chamber after the Shaman Fight. She is the only one that deserves to conquer the legendary spirit."

"Nonsense! She doesn't have to fight anymore. You said you cared about her, but you stood still to see her suffer. Is it really about her or is it just about you?"

Marco screamed angrily and hit Ren with his gun. Ren didn't dodge. He took Marco's attack head on. He tasted some blood on his lips.

"You don't know anything. The day Jeanne d'Arc called her, she disappeared without a trace. I searched the whole city for a week and finally found her at the verge of death. I told her to stay away from the spirit, but every night she woke up crying from nightmare. The Maiden can never rest until she overcomes the spirit. That's why I used all my savings buying this house and open a secret pathway to access Jeanne d'Arc's chamber." Marco voice broke into pieces. His eyes filled with tears. "Can you imagine how hard it is for me to see her like that but can't help? Can you imagine how hard she has worked for the past four years? An arrogant being like you will never understand us."

Marco tried to hit Ren again, but this time he blasted the gun away from Marco.

"You're right. I will never understand why Jeanne can't live happily like any other people. No matter how much you think of her as a saint, I only see her as a teenage girl who deserves a better life than this. If you can't help her you are just worthless."

Marco had managed to retrieve his gun. Ren noticed Archangel Michael started to form its battle mode outside the house.

"I warn you one last time, Ren. Whatever business you have here in Rouen, go and finish it. Stay away from Maiden Jeanne. She shall not be disturbed by someone like you."

"Again, Marco, I don't want to fight you, especially here at Jeanne's house. I'll leave in peace. But I keep my belief: Jeanne should not suffer anymore. I will not let anyone hurt her again, including herself. You have my word." Ren walked away without looking back. It was burning inside his heart, just like when he encountered Jeanne d'Arc.

Marco closed the door behind leaving Jeanne sitting on her bed. She was told Ren had gone, which made her feel a little empty. The last few days with him were like a dream, but a sweet dream. Now that he had gone, she had to get back to her normal self. Let's work harder, Jeanne thought.

"You look upset, Jeanne." Ren's voice startled her. She walked to the balcony to see him sitting on Bason in flight mode, leaning his back to the wall.

"Do you feel better, Jeanne? Have some of these." Ren threw a small box at her. She opened to find animal-shaped chocolate-coated biscuits.

"I notice you like these when we were at the carnival, so I got you some." Ren tilted his head to look at Jeanne. She blushed and let out a soft "thanks".

They spent a moment eating biscuits in silence. Eventually, Jeanne started to tell Ren the story of Jeanne d'Arc.

"She was a powerful shaman who received visions of the Archangel Michael at the age of 12. She was instructed to support Charles VII and to recover France from English domination in the Hundred Years' War. The English captured and executed her. That is all people know about Jeanne d'Arc."

"When I was led to her chamber, she transferred her memory onto me. She had a secret. Her childhood friend, Noin Claude, became her guardian and had been with her since the beginning of the journey. They were captured at the same time, and Noin was tortured to death in front of Jeanne d'Arc, because she refused to betray France. All the pain of seeing Noin suffer and die developed her ability to summon fire from Hell. Every time I visit her, I share the pain with her. It is hard but it is the least I can do for my ancestor, isn't it?" Jeanne whispered softly.

"You told me the X-charity was established to fulfill Jeanne d'Arc's wish of happiness for mankind. Isn't it enough for her? What else does she want? Seeing her descendant suffer? That's just pure evil."

"You shouldn't say that, Ren. No one shares the pain with her, she is very lonely. She lost everything for the people she loved, but they no longer understand her sacrifice. They have been too busy fighting each other, causing harm to each other. The world is in chaos. Meanwhile, I was… having fun for myself." Tears overflowed Jeanne's eyes. She turned away from Ren.

"So you mean I was the one that distracted you from the righteous path?" Ren was mad. And before Jeanne was able to say no, he continued.

"You can fool yourself that you are a saint, but in my eyes you are just a pathetic girl, who had nothing for herself. I refuse to accept your belief and I refuse to see you get hurt. Don't you understand that, Jeanne? What you have done for four years hasn't worked. There must be some other way, the real thing Jeanne d'Arc desires."

Ren jumped from Bason to stand by Jeanne. He took some tissue from his pocket and gave to her. Then he proceeded to pat her head.

"You don't have to face her anymore. I'm not strong enough now to confront her, but I can with your help. Let's do this her sake, and your sake as well, Jeanne."

 _Guizhou, August 2004_

"It has been two months and Ren hasn't come back yet." Tao Yuan's voice echoed from behind a curtain. "Jun, you should go to France now and give him a hand."

Jun stood uncomfortably in front of her father. She never wanted to disobey him, but she didn't want to go after Ren either. Jun knew her brother. When he had sent a letter saying he would come back later than expected, he clearly needed no interference from the family. However, their father was always paranoid with Ren.

"No need to do so, Yuan." Tao Ching appeared after his regular visit to his garden. "Ren is capable of dueling with any situation alone. You should allow your son some more trust."

Jun was relief that her grandfather had spoken what she wanted but not dared to say. Tao Yuan gave in and retreated into his private room. Jun looked up to the sky thinking about Ren.

"I trust you to bring honour for our family. Please be safe and come back soon. I miss you, Ren."

 _Rouen, August 2004_

Ren was facing Jeanne d'Arc in her chamber. Her spirit was in human form but fire had already flared around her altar. As soon as she attacked, she could turn into flame that covered everything and everyone around. Ren created a double oversoul using Bason and Shamash, the skill Jeanne and he had trained really hard the last two months to develop. The Maiden was kneeling behind him, praying. She managed to transfer her furyoku via prayer to her medium, which allowed Ren to maintain enough furyoku to control two powerful guardian ghosts, and to refill any furyoku burnt by Jeanne d'Arc's fire. They were racing with time. Ren started his attack immediately. His giant bushin cut through the sea of flame to reach the spirit. She changed form to block his move and quickly surrounded him with fire. Jeanne heard various sound of combat, but she forced herself to stay calm and pray. If she lost her cool the link of furyoku to Ren would disappear. All she could do was to trust him. Ren extinguished a giant ball of fire from Jeanne d'Arc and switched to Bushin Fish Fin. He called lightning to strike down the altar, breaking it into piece. The spirit showed great pain as the golden box got hit. Just as Ren had anticipated, the box must hold the medium of Jeanne d'Arc when she was alive. And it was the mean of her power now. However, the spirit also realized Ren's weak point. She suddenly created hundreds of fire spears that flew towards Jeanne. Having trusted Ren, she only focused on prayer. There no way she could prevent the attack. Ren ran towards Jeanne while turning his oversoul into shield mode. A huge crash burst out. As Jeanne slowly opened her eyes, she saw Ren catch a flaming spear with his bare hand, his shield defensed her. His shoulder was pierced through, and he was in very bad state. She held him, her face covered with tears. Ren patted her head and whispered.

"Don't worry about me, Jeanne. I will not lose. I promise I will never let you get hurt again."

They looked up to see Jeanne d'Arc have turned back to human form. She was watching them closely. Jeanne closed her eyes, ready for a great wave of emotion. However, this time they heard a voice.

"This is the first time you fight with a partner, my dear. Aren't you afraid you will have him killed with you?"

"You won't be able to fool her again, Jeanne d'Arc. She has always suffered alone; worrying someone would be hurt because of her. But I'll show her and show you today that I am capable of protecting her. A member of Tao family always keeps his promise." Ren used his Bao-Lei sword to cut off the flaming spear in his shoulder by purifying it. He stood up and ready to fight again.

Jeanne d'Arc looked at them for a moment. Then she closed her eyes and said.

"The one and only one who swore to protect me was Noin Claude. He died with a smile, without any regret of the path he had chosen. But I do have regret. Until the end, I couldn't let him know how much I was grateful to him, and how much I loved him. I'm a saint; I must stay pure and devote myself to God." She looked at Jeanne. "Your heart has the same beating as mine. You have to carry burden of a Holy Maiden at very young age. I hope you will not make the same mistake that I did."

The spirit then locked her eyes to Ren's. She spoke with a smile on her lips.

"You, the one that swore to never get her hurt, show me your power. Prove to me I can rest in peace, because my beloved Jeanne will be in good hands."

"It's my honour." Ren smirked. He patted Jeanne's head again before making the move. She fell back into prayers, this time with hope and faith. She no longer felt her mind burning, because her heart was relief. The answer for her quest was found.

 _Aéroport Rouen - Vallée de Seine, August 2004_

Marco pulled over to drop Jeanne off. He reminded her that she had exactly five minutes before he stormed in to rescue her. She nodded and walked quickly to the airport. It wasn't hard to find Ren among the crowd, given his unique tongari.

"I thought you wouldn't come to say goodbye." Ren smiled as he saw her.

"I just want to thank you for everything. You helped Jeanne d'Arc to reach Nirvana, but you had to sacrifice the mission you are here for." Jeanne said. "I'm really sorry."

"You don't have to feel sorry for me. My mission has been completed. I am much stronger than before and most certainly be able to fulfill my family's quest. I have to say thanks to you as well.

"Will I… see you again?" Jeanne asked with hesitation. She was unsure if she wanted to hear the answer.

"I've got this for you, turn around." Ren said, appeared to not paying attention to her question. Jeanne followed his instruction. He then put a necklace around her neck. A silver cross hanged in front of her chest.

"This is Jeanne d'Arc's medium when she was alive. You have to keep it for me. I want to see it when I come back." Ren said and walked away quickly. Jeanne turned around just to see him go pass a security gate. She touched the cross, her heart beats started to stay calm and peaceful.

Ren took the last glimpse of Rouen before it got covered by clouds. The mission turned out completely different from anything he had anticipated, but he was satisfied by the result. He sure was stronger than before, and his heart was free of doubt and trouble.

"Master, do you think your father will accept this?" Bason asked.

"He is old-fashioned and stubborn, but I'm ready to awake the family's power. When I become the true heir of Tao family, he will have to respect my decision." Ren took a sip of his wine.

"I have found it, the missing piece of my power."

"But you let Jeanne d'Arc passed over without conquering her power, so what was the piece you talked about?" Bason seemed confused. Ren smirked. He couldn't explain or admit this to him. Yoh's words came across his mind again, and he finally understood it.

"This missing piece of me… It's LOVE."

 _(Saigon, 3_ _rd_ _May 2015)_


	2. This I promise you

_Guizhou, August 2004_

Ren calmly walked out of a pool. Lotus flowers covered the water surface, leaving pleasant scent. He put on a white robe with a yin yang symbol at the back. The last ritual had been done. His family was waiting at the altar of the Tao family.

"Are you ready, Bason?" Ren asked.

"This is the only chance to surpass my idol. Please trust me in this fight, Master Ren." They shared a look of determination. Then he walked into the room lit only by torches. Ren positioned himself in the middle of a yin yang symbol Tao Ching engraved on the floor. His grandfather sat behind him, his father was at the front, and his mother and sister were on both sides.

"It's time to wake up the sealed power of the Tao family. We will send you across time and space. Overcome the challenge and come back before the door between the dimensions is closed." Tao Ching said as he placed his hands on Ren's back. "May the ancestors be with you."

Ren smirked and slowly closed his eyes. He suddenly felt as if he was sucked into a black hole. The next moment, he found himself standing on a narrow road between two giant mountains. He turned Bason into fighting mode.

"He's coming." Ren said as he sensed an enormous amount of Furyoku coming from the opposite side of the road. A figure appeared from the dark. A proud horse with sculptured muscular limbs carried his Master to the battle field. It was the legendary horse that moved like a gust of wind, the Red Hare. Ren looked at a general on its back. He had red face and long lush beard. His dignified aura made him looked quite majestic. The general was holding a big and heavy guan dao. Ren could see blood drifting from the blade. Earth was shaking from each step Red Hare.

"Such impressive aura! As expected from the Taoist God of War. Today, I will inherit the true power of that Green Dragon Crescent Blade, General Guan Yu."

"What does a kid like you know about wars? I have slaughtered countless enemies until my last breath. This blade will take your head in a blink of the eye." Guan Yu laughed out loud.

Ren observed the best known Chinese historical figure of the late Eastern Han dynasty. His had been admired and worshiped by billions of warriors throughout the history. Bason was also a follower of Guan Yu. When he was alive, Bason studied intensively guandao fighting techniques from Guan Yu to the point he almost completely resembled the Great General. The horse Hei-Tao knocked its hoof on the ground. One the opposite side, Red Hare was also breathing angrily.

"Die, kid." Guan Yu struck right at Ren. His movement was as fast as lightning speed, Ren managed to barely dodge. Their weapon collided. The spirit that had wandered nearly 2000 years in Hell yielded exceptional power that was beyond any other spirit Ren encountered before. No Jiang Shi of his family could match the General's level. However, Ren never doubted Bason's ability and loyalty. He blocked every attack of Guan Yu and responded with equally skillful strikes.

"It has been awhile since the last time I fought a worthy opponent. I want to kill you even more." Guan Yu shouted before charging at Ren continuously. They were both wounded but none appeared to feel any pain.

"Even if you kill me, which is impossible, you can never get back Jingzhou." Ren grinned. The General was shaken for a moment. His eyes suddenly filled with rage.

"I will get back Jingzhou, and fulfill the promise with my brothers, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, even if I have to overturn Hell." Guan Yu screamed and slashed directly on Ren's face. Ren blocked the attack but the force made his arms numb. The General became much stronger with rage, but he was slower and accurate. He had short-temper, just like Ren before. The moment Guan Yu lost his cool, Ren knew he was having advantage. He switched Bason from Super Bushin form to Bushin Fish Fin form.

"The final attack: Kuten Ogenraisei Fukatenson!" Ren struck his opponent with the fish fin. Electricity flashed through Guan Yu's spirit strong enough to light up the dark battle field. Guan Yu countered with the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, coated by a shield of Furyoku.

"The strongest will win." They shouted while going head to head. Ren felt his Furyoku level dropped fast, but he decided to give it all in this last attack. The one that ran out of Furyoku first would be defeated.

The two mountains exploded. Rocks blasted everywhere. The whole scene was covered with dust. After the long silence, the Green Dragon Crescent Blade cut through the middle of the mist. A man was pointing it to the sky, declaring victory.

It was Ren!

Guan Yu tried to get up, blood spilled out of his mouth. He used up his entire amount of Furyoku, but he didn't seem like giving up yet.

"Guan Yu, you have been a great warrior, and will always be. But it's time for you to go."

"It's not finished yet. My brothers and I, we must build our new kingdom, an ultimate dynasty."

"You won't make a better world by wasting lives of others; one shaman has taught me that." Ren signed, recalling some part of his past. "The vicious cycle of revenge has never stopped, but I, the heir of Tao family, will put an end for it."

The spirit of Guan Yu looked at Ren, horrified. For a moment, he saw determination and belief in Ren's aura. His vision started to blur, his mind drifted back to memories from thousands years ago. He couldn't forgive himself for losing Jingzhou, which indirectly caused the state of Shu Han to collapse. His life-long goal could never be fulfilled, but a new generation would carry out his will. Warriors fighting for a better world still existed.

"Well done, Bason." Ren said while panting. He felt exhausted. The fight had costed him more that he had anticipated.

"Ren, if you can hear, please respond." Jun's voice suddenly echoed in Ren's mind. He focused too much on the battle he forgot to maintain connection with his family.

"Jun, I'm fine."

"Please hurry up and come back. Something happened. We couldn't hold the door between dimensions." Jun sounded urgent. Ren recalled the explosion. It must have messed up the connection.

"My Furyoku is almost empty." Ren panted. His knees went weak. The whole place was shaking and falling apart. The spirit of Guan Yu was passing over, thus this Hell created by his mind started to collapse. He was racing with time.

"Grandfather, I got Ren, but he doesn't have enough Furyoku left." Jun cried out to Tao Ching. The connection couldn't be held longer. He must decide now or never.

"I will swap my Furyoku with Ren."

"It's too dangerous, father. You may excess your Furyoku level and die." Tao Ran cried.

"I have decided." Tao Ching cut his fingers to write three jufu talismans. He pressed them on Ren's back. Strong air flow pushed everyone back. In that moment, Ren felt his Furyoku filled up. The door between dimensions appeared and he quickly jumped into it. When he opened his eyes, he was back to Tao mansion. The Green Dragon Crescent Blade pierced through the floor in front of him.

"Grandfather, get hold of yourself." Ren turned around to see Tao Ching lay in the arms of Tao Yuan. His mother and sister were crying.

"Ren, you did it. I am very proud of you." Tao Ching whispered as Ren rushed to his side.

"Grandfather, you have to make it."

"Don't worry. My time has come. I can live to this moment to see Ren bring honour to the family, what else can I ask for?" Tao Ching grabbed Ren's arm. "From now on, you are the head of the family. Take good care of your parents and sister."

They were Tao Ching's last words. He passed away peacefully at the age of 78.

Tao mansion was covered in white. Tao Ching's funeral was carried out with respect. Ren paid the last farewell to his grandfather before setting the coffin on fire. He had officially become the head of Tao family at the age of eighteen. There would be a lot to do, and many things he could change for the sake of his beloved.

"Would you like some tea, Ren?" Jun asked, breaking his flow of thought. They sat at a table next to a pond. Koi fish glided underneath lotus leaves. Ren looked at his sister. Her eyes were red but she remained calm and caring.

"You always have my back. I can't do all this without your help, Jun."

"That's the least I can do for my brother." Jun smiled. "I know an heir of Tao family has to take a lot of pressure. You have grown to be a strong man. We are very proud of you."

"How is your teaching going?"

"So so. Young generation seems to have many choices nowadays, but I believe Taoism doctrine would benefit those who truly follow it. Also, mother is a well-known Daoshi, so the school is doing just fine."

"There's something I need to tell you, sister. You are the only one I can talk to." Ren poured Jun another cup of tea. "I'm moving to France."

"Why? Our family needs you." Jun was confused.

"Isn't expanding the family size important as well?" Ren slightly blushed. Jun gasped.

"Could it be? Ren, who is she?"

He hesitated, but said the name. His sister's eyes opened even wider. Ren felt something crawling in his stomach. Jun was the closest one to him, the one who understood him the most. If even she couldn't accept this, then he had no chance with his parents.

"I know you are shocked, but trust me, she is a wonderful girl. When you get to know her, you will like her, too." Ren blushed even more. Jun had stood up and walked towards him.

"I don't know what to say. I'm so happy for you, Ren." Jun wrapped her arms around Ren and hugged him tightly. Now he was the one in shock.

"I don't mind who she is. As long as my brother is happy, I'll be happy, too." Jun wiped tears in her eyes. "I was afraid you would never open your heart, but now I am relieved."

"That's enough, sister. Don't let others see us like this." Ren tried to push Jun away, but he got a stone off his chest.

"Sorry, sorry, I was too excited." Jun released Ren. "Anyway, I didn't get to know her much in the Shaman Fight. You must introduce her to the family. As for father and mother, I'll help you explain. They will understand, eventually."

"Thank you, Jun."

 _Rouen, September 2004_

"I now announce you are husband and wife."

A groom held his bride and kissed her tenderly. Jeanne looked at happiness in their eyes; her heart filled with warmth and joy. Having been a witness to many weddings, Jeanne never ceased to adore those blessed moments. She imagined herself in a white gown one day. Will she be pretty like other brides, too? Jeanne slightly blushed.

"If you were in that white dress, you would be even more gorgeous than her." A voice from behind startled her. Jeanne turned around to find her face only an inch away from Ren's.

"Ren, since when?" she quickly stepped back. She was too embarrassed to realize how happy she sounded.

"Just arrived from the airport. Marco said you had a wedding to attend, so I sneaked in." Ren tried not to chuckle at Jeanne's pink cheeks.

"I thought it would take years for us to meet again." Jeanne whispered as other girls cheerfully gathered behind the bride.

"I have arranged my family business. From now, I want to work for the X-charity as well." Ren spoke while curiously watched the bridge hold her bouquet up high.

"That… that would be wonderful, Ren." Jeanne wasn't sure how to react. Everything came so quickly. She got to see Ren again, and he wanted to stay with the X-charity for longer than just a vacation. It was great to have someone to help out with all the work, especially that someone was Ren. Jeanne heard her heart beat faster, why did she have those thoughts about Ren?

The bride let go of her bouquet, and the girls started reaching for it. Suddenly, strong wind blasted the bouquet away from the crowd, and managed to land it on Jeanne. Surprised, she clumsily tried to get hold of it. Ren reached out to help her before he realized all eyes were on them. A moment of awkward silence, then noise busted out from everyone around.

"Sweet Jeanne caught the bride's bouquet! She will be the next to get married!"

"Who is that guy? Is he her friend? Oh God, he's so handsome."

"My lovely Jeanne, congratulation!"

Jeanne was clearly embarrassed. She didn't know whether to put the bouquet down or hide it, so she just stood still. Ren was surprised at first, but he remembered reading about the Western belief of a bride's bouquet. Now, having seen it for the first time, he absent-mindedly smiled, then pat Jeanne's shoulder.

"I think Marco is waiting for you. Can you please help me talk to him about me joining the X-charity? He may not accept this idea easily."

"Ah yes, you're right. I'll go get some transport." Jeanne was glad that she had a reason to leave the crowd's attention. When she was running towards the street, Ren whispered.

"What was that wind about, Bason?" Bason popped his head out of a daisy bush.

"Haha, really can't hide anything from you, Master Ren."

"Stop doing unnecessary things." Ren signed. Later, on their way back to Jeanne's home, he looked at her smiling face while holding the bouquet, and he couldn't deny the happy feeling in his heart.

Marco adjusted his glasses. The two men glared at each other for like eternity. Jeanne felt the intense atmosphere in the room.

"Marco, please don't be too skeptical. I believe Ren has sincere intention to help us."

He threw a cold look at Jeanne making her shiver a bit. She really respected him, and he had worked really hard as her guardian and vice president of the X-charity. However, Marco was always overly-protective when any boy approached Jeanne.

"Lady Maiden, how am I supposed to believe this arrogant, ignorant, full-of-himself non-believer to have sincere intention? Does he ever know anything about our world or our people? I know your kindness, Lady Maiden, but I strongly oppose him to join us."

"You are talking nonsense, Marco. We sure are different, but we are all human beings. No one is worse or better than the others. If you try to isolate me because of our beliefs, then you're the one being ignorant here." Ren folded his arms. Their eyes didn't meet, but he could feel Marco was on fire.

"Very well. How about we settle this with a fight between two men?" Marco positioned himself right in front of Ren's face. At the Shaman Fight, Marco had advantage in size, but it was long time ago. By now, Ren's eyes were leveled with his.

"Marco, please don't!" Jeanne gasped as Archangel Michael appeared outside the window.

"Don't worry, Lady Maiden. I know I can't win against him, given the condition as it is now. But there is one thing I hold pride of, the only thing that can determine a man as a man." Marco rose his hand to comfort Jeanne, but still looked Ren death in the eyes.

"Archangel Michael is originally my 92 Ferrari Testarossa, the car I hold so dear that it gained a spirit. I have drove through ups and downs with it. If you think you are capable, then meet me at the entrance of Roumare forest in 2-week time, and race to the church of St. Mathurin, La Mailleraye-sur-Seine. And carve this in your head, Ren: only those who are accepted by the Angels can be worthy for this family." Marco turned his eyes towards Jeanne as he spoke the word family. He had always been a loyal guardian to her. She trusted that everything he did was for her own good. Jeanne slightly nodded at Marco.

"I accept." Ren said. "If you win, I'll leave the X-charity alone. If I win, I want to be responsible for the prosperity of it, and the well-being of Jeanne also."

Jeanne felt her stomach butterflied with Ren's words. She couldn't determine whether it was happiness or anxiousness, maybe both.

It was already 8pm but the sun hadn't set. Summer days were long in France, though hints of autumn could be seen on the trees. As Ren and Jeanne were strolling down a long narrow road, golden leaves drifted in the wind around them. A tiny leaf stuck in Jeanne's silver hair.

"To be honest, this will be one of the most challenging thing for me ever." Ren kept his hands in the pockets even though he was dying to remove the leaf and feel the softness of Jeanne's hair. "Not only because I don't drive, but I also understand this is not merely a race. It's a test from the Angels, am I right?"

"Yes, you grab the situation quite well. Technically, a car and an Archangel are two separate entities. The Archangel can accelerate the car's functions, but the car may restrain the spirit's power. Marco is one of the rare cases in the X-laws that have the two entities fully harmonized. Thus, even in its normal form, his Ferrari possesses 100% power of Michael."

"So the main problem is learning how to control the spirit. At least I am more comfortable with that than learning how to drive a normal lifeless car." Ren signed. He had never liked modern stuff. They were cold and emotionless. They reflected the emptiness inside him.

They arrived at a shed in a middle of a deserted farmland. Jeanne took out a key from her pocket and unlocked the door. The last sunlight dropped on them and vanished. The night urgently covered them. The shed was dark, too, but Ren could see something really large inside.

Jeanne switched on the light. Everything got visible in front of Ren's eyes. Majestic and powerful even when they were inactive, the Archangels looked at him from the ceiling.

"This is where we keep and honour our deceased members." Jeanne said quietly as she walked to the wall at the far end of the shed. She took a gun from its holster and held it with both hands.

"This is Sister Meene's Luger, her medium to control Gabriel. He is the Angel of judgement and has been equated with thunder and majesty." Jeanne looked Ren in the eyes. "I want to offer you this Spirit. I believe you will bring justice to the Archangel as well as Sister Meene."

Ren hesitated. He knew Jeanne was trying to help him, but he got concerned about the sorrow in Jeanne's eyes.

"Meene, what kind of person was she?" Ren asked softly.

"She was just like Gabriel, the most loved member of the heavenly family. Even though she appeared to be harsh and strict, but she was very caring. Meene gave me feeling that I had a sister, or a mother." Jeanne teared up as she spoke. "She was the first one who ever told me that kindness was needed to save the world, not blind justice alone."

Ren nodded. In technical term, Gabriel was a best match for his power, but the Archangel and Meene's characteristics were quite unfamiliar with him. It would be an ultimate challenge to master a Spirit which carried emotion from its previous owner, the emotion Jeanne held dear. However, not in a single moment Ren thought about giving up. No matter how hard the challenge was, he would be willing to take it head on.

"Thank you very much, Jeanne. I will treasure this present of yours." Ren took the pistol. "I will never fail you, that's a promise."

Warm feeling rose in Jeanne's chest. She smiled and proceeded with their training.

"You have been working hard, Master." Bason said as Ren dropped himself on a couch, panting. Three days left before the race, he had managed some progress, but Ren knew it wasn't enough for him to win. He looked out of the window. Rain started to fall softly in the night.

"Is that Marco? Where is he going this late, under the rain?" Ren questioned as he saw the familiar figure. Usually, he minded his own business, but this time something urged him to follow Marco. The man walked with an umbrella in one hand, and some flowers in the other. It didn't take long for him to reach his destination. A graveyard was so silent. The only sound left was Marco's footsteps and rhythm of the rain. He placed flowers on a few graves, then stood still in front of the one at the far end of the cemetery.

"Well, here we are again." Marco spoke. Ren startled for a moment before he realized that Marco wasn't talking to him.

"You must be giggling at me right now for seeing you this often, Meene. No idea since when I have turned into a sensible old man." The conversation continued. "That little brat, how dare he just appear and disturb our dear Jeanne again? I will never be easy on him."

"I have been beside Lady Maiden all these years, but before the Shaman Fight it was only for the sake of the X-Laws. Then when she is finally free to live for herself, she works restlessly for the community due to the guilt in her heart. She hasn't got anything for herself." Marco's voice trembled slightly. "I know I take it personal towards that brat this time, but I have sworn to protect Jeanne until the end of my life."

He fixed his glasses and took a deep breath. The moon came out when raindrops slowly vanished. Ren pressed himself against an ancient oak. The whole place was in deep silent, hence Marco was clearly audible from distance. He signaled Bason to move, leaving Marco some privacy.

"I wish you were still here, Meene. This day must come, I know, but the feeling is hard to handle. After all, Jeanne is the daughter I always dream to have."

Marco's words faded as Ren walked away.

Rouen was in transition between the warm and the cold season, which made it the most pleasant time of the year. Autumn sunlight gently painted trees into golden shades of orange. Fluffy clouds shivered in the first chilly gust of wind. Girls wearing trench coat walked a little closer to their boyfriends. Love was in the air, people often said so about France. However, the romantic atmosphere didn't apply for some particular men, who were rather on fire on that beautiful, delighted autumn day. Jeanne felt like she could breathe in the tension between Marco and Ren as they stood facing each other at the entrance of Roumare forest. She had never seen a fight between Michael and Gabriel. Their majestic stance against each other put Jeanne in awe. However, what surprised her the most was her own feeling. Jeanne hadn't been able to sleep for a few days before the race, but at that very moment she was completely calm underneath her beloved Angels. The atmosphere was tense, yet Jeanne felt assured standing between the two men she trusted the most. Something deep inside told her they would never do anything that could possibly hurt her. Even when Marco and Ren were going head to head, Jeanne's heart was at the safest place it had ever been. That day, she would cheer wholeheartedly for both of them and committed the rest to God.

"Give it all you've got, kid." Marco adjusted his glasses.

"Save it to yourself, old man." Ren smirked. Of course he would have to give it 100% for the pride of the Tao's family, and another 100% out of respect for Marco.

Plus unlimited percent for HER.

The two positioned themselves in their Giulietta SZ and Testarossa. The Giulietta used an Alfa Romeo Twin Cam straight-four of 1290cc that hit top speed of 120mph. However, with a 4.9 litre Ferrari flat-12 engine mid mounted, the Testarossa could accelerate from 0 to 100mph in 11.40 seconds. Given the fact that Marco had mastered a skill to maximize his car's ability by Archangel Michael's power, clearly Ren was in disadvantage in every way. It all came down to the battle of will.

"May the strongest one win." Jeanne announced as she raised a flag. The engines roared for a moment and the cars disappeared into the forest. Ren held his breath as his Giulietta accelerated. He had been practicing non-stop but had never got used to that uncomfortable task.

"Bloody hell! I swear this is the last time I deal with cars in my whole life." Ren thought as he caught a glimpse of the Testarossa cutting ahead of him. Both of them unleased their spirits almost the same time, but with his experience Marco got a fraction of second faster than Ren did and took the lead. However, the Giulietta caught up and tailgated its opponent.

"Just as I expected from you, brat." Marco smiled. "Unfortunately, I still have some tricks up my sleeves."

The forest road was in bad shape, and the racers mostly hovered above the ground. Ren felt Gabriel's power rushing in his veins. Trees and branches kept jumping at his face. There were many deadly curves on the course, so Ren was glad he memorized it to heart beforehand. Everything had gone as planned. He was catching up very closely to Marco and at the next turn there would be an open space for him to pass. He better took a lead before they get to a narrow road with mountain on one side and bottomless cliff on the other. Ren counted in his head "3… 2… 1…" The open space suddenly popped out from nowhere. He drifted to the narrow side of the curve trying to cut Marco off. The moment their cars leveled, Ren cross-eyed with Marco and the Berretta 93R's barrel was pointing at his face.

The gunshot followed by the ear-deafening sound of explosion. X-laws guns never carried real bullets, they fired concentrated Furyoku instead. The Giulietta lost its course and crashed into the bushes. Apart from enhancing the car's speed, Ren had spent a good portion of his Furyoku to stabilize it in accordance to such speed. The blast from Marco's shot wasn't powerful enough to push his car off, but Ren had to blame himself for being careless. Surely Marco wouldn't let him pass so easily. Ren quickly got back on track but his plan had failed.

"Lady Maiden, have you seen that? It was a terrible break of sportsmanship. A terrorist act! He's trying to kill my Master. Please do something!" Bason was frantically tearing his hair watching the race through Jeanne's Angels' vision technique. This skill allowed members of the X-laws to see through the eyes of the Angels. Jeanne had kindly created a hologram of what was happening for Bason to see, but she started to think it wasn't a good idea. Having never been separated from Ren since his birth, Bason was in the upmost panic mode. He kept floating around babbling and crying.

"To restrain opponents is acceptable for this race, Bason." Jeanne explained softly. She had given up on comforting Ren's loyal spirit as she was anxious herself. She had seen Ren's magical unification with Gabriel during their training, but she still had a heavy stone in her chest. The moment Ren tried to pass Marco, Jeanne secretly wished his plan had succeed. She hadn't had preference for any of the two men, but as the race progressed her mind stepped down and her heart stood up. She prayed for Ren's plan to go smoothly, and so no one would get hurt. Jeanne closed her eyes as the two reached the uphill course.

The road got too narrow that a car could barely fit on it. Ren assumed the path was created by Marco for his own hobby of driving on challenging courses, since nobody with sane mind would choose this way instead of the state highway. Just a mistake and his car would fall off the cliff. But the same went for Marco as well. They had gone through 2/3 of the race. There was only one more chance for Ren to win.

"Yes, brat. You're planning to throw me off the cliff, aren't you?" Marco thought to himself. "Just step over me to achieve your goal. That's the way you are, right? You don't know about the Angels' vision, and that Lady Maiden is watching you. Hurry and show your true self. I trust Lady Maiden will make the right judgement once she sees who you are." Marco took a deep breath. He knew it wasn't a righteous thing to do, and he decided to bet his life in the race. They were approaching the last U-turn, it would be now or never. Even so, from the bottom of his heart, Marco wished he had been all wrong. He didn't know that Ren, too, was ready to put his life on the line. Controlling Archangels so precisely in dreadful conditions had drained enormous amount of Furyoku from both Marco and Ren. Ren started panting, his body was sore. He still got a plan left, but everything had to be exact for it to work. He felt like someone was hammering his head, and his concentration took every chance to slip away. Ren struggled to hold on. The last curve was close to the very top of the mountain. He knew the Seine River was flowing next to the bottom of this cliff, but it couldn't be seen from up there. He knew he would have to take a sharp left and then an immediate U-turn to the right. He knew the rest was just a downhill journey to the finish line.

But only if he could get there!

The two cars were so close that Marco could see Ren in his rear mirror. His whole body got numb due to Furyoku pressure. However, he was calm. He watched Ren pull out the Luger.

"Meene, I'm waiting for your answer." Marco thought. A salty drop of tear left his eye and vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Ren tightened his finger around the Luger's trigger. All the effort he had given came down to that very moment. He had to do it. He must do it. He could do it.

The gunshot blast through the air. The impact was so much. Ren couldn't see clear any more. He felt like everything got brighter and brighter, until the whole place became endless white. In the middle of the space, he saw a familiar figure. Her blonde hair lazily fall on her shoulders. She greeted him with a gentle smile.

"So is this your decision, Ren?" she asked. Finally, Ren encountered the will of Meene Montgomery carried by the Luger. Throughout his training he could feel her presence, but had never got that close. He was glad he met Meene in the most critical moment of the race.

"Why do you want to do this so badly, young man?" she asked again.

"I learnt something from the Shaman Fight back then. I used to think that giving up my life was the only way to pay for my sins in the past. But when Yoh traded his right to participate in the tournament, and Jeanne revived me from death, I realized TO LIVE is what I must do. I know Jeanne is trying to do the same thing. If we have the same goal, why can't we do it TOGETHER?"

"You are right." Meene gave Ren a heart-warming smile. "Remember, the purest love of all kind is the seed sprouted from one's heart. The X-laws strives to save the world, but our personal goal is to nurture the seed of love for little Jeanne. She is the most precious to us."

"And mine, too." Ren reached out his hand. "Accept me! I have never been so sure and clear1 before in my life."

"Meene" Ren said. "I love Jeanne."

Blast! Pressure! Shock! Ren lost his breath as he flew through the endless space of light. Beside him, the majestic mountain stood as proudly as it had always been. Underneath, the bottomless valley was clothed by thin layers of clouds. Ren couldn't see Marco's face right now but he must be stunned.

The Giulietta was flying ACROSS the curve.

"100% acceptance with Gabriel? It's impossible!" Marco couldn't believe in his eyes. Even with his level of unification with the Archangel, the Testarossa could either be in a car form with the spirit's power or in an Angel form. What he was looking at was the combined transformation of Gabriel and Giulietta, the highest level of unification. Gabriel's magnificent wings spread in the sky. The scenery brightened up with light, a rare beauty a shaman got to observe in his life.

"The Archangels chose him." Marco threw his head back and laughed as Michael's power slowly drained from the Testarossa. Mixed feelings rose in his heart: relief and sadness. He knew everything would change from that day onwards.

"Absolutely marvelous performance! I'm so proud of my Master. I think I'm gonna die the second time." Jeanne tried to ignore Bason's uncontrollable sobbing but she could understand his excitement. The race wasn't finished, yet the result had been decided. Ren won. She trusted him and he kept his promise. The Archangels accepted him, so they were one step closer to each other. Jeanne didn't know she could be so delighted when someone got into her life. Or because that someone was HIM?

Ren gave the Giulietta a thank-you pat as he waited for Marco to arrive. He took a quick look at the church of St Mathurin. Dated from the 16th century, the stone church seemed peaceful and solemn. Ren wondered if Jeanne had visited there. He could imagine her at an altar, brightened up the whole church like summer sunlight. Thinking of her warmed his heart, even in the mist of exhaustion.

Marco parked and stepped out. He tried to appear all right but clearly his strength had gone. He was too tired to react when Ren rushed towards him. Would he force him to admit his defeat, or would he humiliate him? Marco just didn't bother any more. However, much to his surprise, Ren stopped in front of him and bow his head. It was the last thing Marco thought this arrogant boy could do.

"This race represents my respect towards you." Ren spoke. "Right now, I'm asking for your permission. Please let me take care of Jeanne."

It felt like time had stopped in La Mailleraye-sur-Seine. Even the wind kept quiet to watch what happened next. The silence went on for a while. Finally, Marco turned around and got into his car.

"If you have time to say nonsense like that, make sure you return Meene's procession in perfect condition." He adjusted his glasses. "And be in my office at 7 tomorrow morning. If you're late I'll throw your luggage out."

Ren watched Marco drive away. He shrugged at Marco trying to stay cold with him, but the ice was broken between them. Tomorrow would be the beginning of a new chapter. Ren dropped to the ground to regain some strength. He looked at the Giulietta, his partner for one of the most life-changing moments of his life. It stood there inviting him.

"Thanks for your hard work, Giulietta. But sorry, after all this, I'd rather walk."

Ren's brief relationship with cars ended there on the very last day of September in a solemn remoted France's town.

P/s: I feel really bad for taking sooooo long to complete the second chapter. Work has been very busy the last few months. I'm extremely grateful to everyone who read my fic, and special thanks to your kind reviews. They are very encouraging and keep me moving. Love.


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